Near-field communication (NFC) is a wireless communication technique in which the communicating devices are separated by less than a wavelength. Near-field communication is being adopted by the mobile phone industry for financial transactions and is anticipated to replace the use of magnetic strips of credit cards. One issue with near-field communication is privacy. Although near-field communication takes place between closely located devices, an eavesdropper may still be able to determine the information being exchanged. Conventional encryption techniques that use either symmetric or asymmetric keys have several drawbacks including increased complexity, cost and processing requirements.
Thus, there are general needs for private near-field communication systems and methods that reduce the complexity, cost and processing requirements. There are also general needs for private near-field communication systems and methods suitable for financial transactions. There are also general needs for private near-field communication systems and methods suitable for key exchange. There are also general needs for private near-field communication systems and methods suitable for smart phones and mobile communication devices.